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Monday, March 31, 2014

Canadian
retailers are concerned that customs agents routinely waive taxes and duties on
goods brought back from the United States.

A
briefing note prepared for Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Canada Border
Services Agency officers waive fees when the value of returning goods is “below
a certain threshold” not noted in the released document.

“This threshold was established in consideration of the cost to CBSA of
processing a traveler through the collection process,” it said.

“Collections
may also be waived in cases where the volume would result in unacceptable
border processing delays, when interdiction activities are under way or for
reasons determined by local management.”

The government document was in response to the Harper government’s
concern over the Canada-U.S. price-gap that helps to encourage cross-border
shopping

The Retail Council of Canada has complained the border agency is too
lenient with cross-border shoppers, costing the economy millions of dollars in
domestic sales.

More than 55-million trips are made by Canadians to the United States
annually with 33- million same-day crossings mainly to shop, with collected
taxes and duties of about $150 million.

Canadians have no duty-free exemption on same-day trips but can bring
back up to $200 in goods after 24 hours and $800 after 48 hours away.

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Jim Flaherty, who has led Canada through one of its worst economic times
as finance minister, has resigned.

The surprise announcement by Flaherty, 64, comes a month after he
presented an anticipated balanced budget for this fiscal year.

“As
I begin another chapter in my life, I leave feeling fulfilled with what we have
accomplished as a government and a country during one of the most challenging economic
periods in our country’s history,” he said.

After eight years in the key position, Flaherty said he is preparing to
return to a private-sector job but remains for now as a Member of Parliament
for Whitby-Oshawa, Ontario.

He
said the resignation had nothing to do with recent health issues – a rare skin
condition treated with medication that led to weight gain and fatigue.

Prime
Minister Stephen Harper said Flaherty has “exemplified the best qualities of
those who enter public life: a true commitment to service and a sincere desire
to leave the country in better shape than it was when he entered politics.”

Ford – who had made international headlines for his admitted “drunken” outbursts
and for using crack cocaine – refuses to apologize for a profane rant against
Blair, caught on video, in a restaurant last month.

The
latest feud started after the chief said publicly that he was “deeply offended”
by Ford’s remarks and actions.

Ford
challenged Blair to disclose the cost of an extensive investigation after a
video emerged appearing to show the mayor smoking crack cocaine.

“Why won't he come clean and tell the taxpayers how much money has he
spent on surveilling me and obviously coming up with nothing – just with me
urinating in a parking lot and coming up with an empty vodka bottle?" Ford
said.

The investigation resulted in Ford’s friend Alexander Lisi being
arrested for drug offenses and extortion concerned the crack video.

Former Ontario Conservative leader John Tory, who has entered the race
to succeed Ford in October’s election, called the mayor’s comments a “disgrace”
and that “Torontonians deserve better.”